Wooster Council to vote on income tax proposal

WOOSTER -- With a full plate at the beginning of the year legislation, on Monday, City Council also will consider placing the income tax increase proposal on the May ballot.

On third reading, Council has two separate measures pertaining to the tax proposal.

The first would change the language in the codified ordinances outlining the income tax increase, which would increase to 1.5 percent of earned income from its current rate of 1 percent if approved by voters.

Half of the increased tax revenues would help offset cuts made at the state level to the amount of money reimbursed to cities. The other half would help fund capital improvement projects which have not been funded with local tax dollars for the past two years.

The other piece of the proposal would forward ballot language to the board of elections.

Among council's other 15 new pieces of legislation include a variety of annual contracts to be renewed.

But a resolution to demolish the buildings at 3333 Burbank Road is also on the agenda.

Two other resolutions on Monday's agenda are the beginning of longer projects.

One declares the city's intent of moving forward with the Friendsville Road project, which seeks to widen and improve the road from Milltown to Riffel.

Another resolution would throw the city's support behind the Remington Manor project, headed by the Wayne Metropolitan Housing Authority. The project is a 44-unit affordable housing project proposed at 2024 Akron Road, which is between Portage Road and the Winchester Woods apartment complex.

The project is expected to begin construction in Feb. 2014 and be ready 12 months later.

Two public hearings will take place during the meeting as well. The hearings concern the zoning designations of parcels to be annexed into the city's corporation limits along Akron Road and Geyers Chapel Road.

Council will meet at City Hall, 538 N. Market St., on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

Reporter Steve Huszai can be reached at 330-287-1645 or shuszai@the-daily-record.com. He is @GeneralSmithie on Twitter.

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Who's paying for the demo of the house at 3333 Burbank. Watch out, the city is still planning on building that "over the top" fire station at this location. The city has no money, so no new fire station! Live within in your means firemen.